4.  The applicant was born in 1963 and lives in Kardzhali.
5.  On 17 September 1999 the applicant, who worked as a foreman in a mine, was dismissed for a violation of the discipline. On 27 September 1999 he brought proceedings against his employer, claiming that his dismissal was unlawful and seeking reinstatement to work and compensation.
6.  The hearing on 1 December 1999 of the Kardzhali District Court was postponed for gathering of evidence. On 1 March and 26 April 2000 the court instructed the applicant to correct certain flaws in his statement of claim. From 7 June to 5 July 2000 it conducted three other hearings and on the latter date postponed the hearing to 20 September 2000 for questioning of witnesses. The applicant made a complaint about delays. On 13 July 2000 the Kardzhali Regional Court established that the District Court had postponed the hearing of the case on a number of occasions for gathering of evidence. It noted that the District Court could have been more diligent in conducting the case in view of the nature of the claim. For example, it could have imposed fines on the parties for not submitting their requests in due course. It instructed the District Court to conduct the next hearing within one month as from the date on which the case file would be returned to it.
7.  In compliance with the instructions, the District Court rescheduled the next hearing for 2 August 2000. On 7 August 2000 it held the last hearing and dismissed the claim. It held that the applicant had breached his duties as a foreman because during the night shift on 27 August 1999 he had exempted one of his subordinates from work without reporting his absence. The applicant appealed.
8.  The Regional Court held two hearings and on 1 February 2001 quashed the judgment of 7 August 2000 and granted the applicant’s claim. It held that the procedural requirements for requesting explanations from the applicant had not been met by his employer. The latter appealed.
9.  On 18 March 2002 the Supreme Court of Cassation conducted a hearing. In a judgment of 15 April 2002 it quashed the judgment of 1 February 2001. It held that the applicant’s employer had met the procedural requirements for taking explanations from the applicant.
10.  On 17 May 2002 the Regional Court held a hearing. The applicant requested the assignment of an expert report. The hearings on 21 June and 13 September 2002 were postponed because the appointed experts had failed to submit their reports. Between 25 October and 6 December 2002 it conducted three other hearings and on 3 February 2003 dismissed the claim. It held that the applicant had exempted a worker from the night shift without reporting his absence, and thus had breached his duties of a foreman and had abused the confidence of his employer. The applicant appealed.
11.  The Supreme Court of Cassation conducted a hearing on 2 June 2005 and in a final judgment of 19 September 2005 upheld the judgment of 3 February 2003. It fully endorsed the findings of the Regional Court.
12.  On two occasions in 2000 and 2002 the applicant complained to the president of the Kardzhali Regional Court and the Ministry of Justice that the examination of his case was delayed. In letters of 23 March 2000 and 20 November 2002 the president of the Regional Court informed the applicant that he had not established any unreasonable delays in the proceedings.